This morning Palestinian terrorists opened fire near the Lion’s Gate entrance into the Old City of Jerusalem, critically injuring two Israelis (apparently security forces) and moderately injuring one more. They then fled to the Temple Mount, or in their opinion the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, and continued shooting from there. Israeli policemen finally killed them there.

Speaking to the press after the attack, Israel Police Commissioner Roni Alsheich said: “This was a tough morning for the police. We have two people killed, officers, who paid the dearest price in this battle.”

Sitawe, 30, hailed from the town of Maghar, a mostly Druze and Arab city in northern Israel.

Shnaan, 22, was from the Druze village of Hurfeish, also in northern Israel.

Sitawe joined the Border Police as part of his mandatory national service instead of serving in the military. He joined the Israel Police in 2012 and has served in the unit responsible for securing the Temple Mount ever since.

He leaves behind a wife, Irin, a three-week-old son, his parents and three brothers.

Shnaan joined the police directly after high school. He decided to stay on the police force seven months ago, signing on as a career officer.

He was the youngest son of a former Labor Party Knesset member, Shachiv Shnaan. His engagement party to his girlfriend was to be held next week.

Shnaan leaves behind his parents, one brother and three sisters.

Both Shnaan and Sitawe were posthumously promoted to the rank of master sergeant.

What a terrible loss! May their families be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem and may their memories be for a blessing. יהי זכרם ברוך

The Shin Bet security service confirmed that the terrorists who carried out the attack were Arab Israelis from the city of Umm al-Fahm, which had also been under a gag order, which was lifted shortly before noon.

What are the leaders of the Israeli Arab community going to do to prevent such terror and incitement from their community?

Medics treat victims of a shooting attack on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City on July 14, 2017. (Magen David Adom)

At least two people were critically injured on Friday morning in a terror attack at the Lions Gate in Jerusalem’s Old City.

An additional victim was injured moderately, and is fully conscious. He sustained a wound to his upper body.

Initial investigations show that three terrorists left the Temple Mount armed, and walked towards Lions Gate. They then spotted police officers and shot at them, then escaped back towards the mosques on the Temple Mount.

Police officers chased after the three terrorists and caught up to them, eliminating all three.

A search of the terrorists’ bodies revealed a pistol and two Carl Gustav guns.

Note how in this next video one of the terrorists gets up, before being killed. Show that to all the “experts” who think shooting to kill a terrorist is not the way to go.

The implications of this attack, taking place on the most volatile spot on Earth, the Temple Mount, cannot be overstated. This could be the trigger provoking an all-out religious war. It could also finally provide Israel with the justification for either closing off the Temple Mount to Muslim prayer altogether, at least temporarily, or – preferably in my humble opinion- to allow free and full Jewish prayer on their holiest site.

But no, Binyamin Netanyahu has ordered a continuation of the status quo for fear of igniting yet more violence. You might think that this is a reasoned, sensible position to take given the circumstances, but a quick look back at recent history shows that Israeli concessions, or simply non-escalation, bring us no less terror and no fewer attacks. In fact, it is only when Israel delivers a harsh response that something resembling calm returns to the streets.

The dramatic terror attack at the Temple Mount Friday drew condemnations from across the Israeli political spectrum, including calls to change the long-standing arrangements at the holy site that allow Muslim prayer there but forbid Jewish prayer and religious rituals.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fended off the calls with a blunt statement from his office Friday saying, “The status quo will be protected.”

Erdan called the attack “an extremely serious event which crossed all red lines. The investigation is ongoing. We will need to reevaluate all of the security arrangements on the Temple Mount and its environs. I call on all public leaders to act to calm the situation and ensure quiet in Jerusalem.”

The only response to the attack was a temporary closure to the Temple Mount for the day – and I wonder if that closure affects Jews too.

Following the attack, Jerusalem Police chief Yoram Halevi canceled prayers for the day on the Temple Mount, ordering the complex cleared and the entrances to the holy site closed. Police also placed checkpoints at the entrances to the Old City.

…

Jerusalem Affairs Minister Ze’ev Elkin said the “cynical use of the Temple Mount as a kind of zone of immunity for incitement and terror has to stop. We’re not eager to [send security forces to] operate on the Temple Mount, but when we must, we will. The very willingness of the terrorists to use the Temple Mount flows from the incitement” heard at the site, which he noted as already led to rioting there in the past.

This is the fight on who rules Har- H’byit. we are now in the 3 weeks between 17th. of Tammuz and the 9th. of Av. This is a battle which we have to win and eventually will win. we must have a Jewish/Israel presence on the Temple mount 24/7/365. Motta Gur Z.L. proclaimed Har H’byit B’yadanu and he meant it! We have to make sure that it is so!

You’re 100% right. Why is it that what we can see so clearly our leaders are blind to? They are so scared of escalating the situation, but it escalates no matter what we do. In fact the violence gets worse the more we give in. It’s about time we really returned the Har Habayit leyadeinu.

Very true – although this situation is not really parallel. However, the policeman did get very close to the terrorist to see if he needed medical help (!) and then the terrorist jumped up. Only by a miracle was that policeman also not killed.

Just terrible.Netanyahu should’ve said Enough!Its because of Moshe Dayan that the Har Ha Bayit is not in our hands.Nobody -especially that font of wisdom,UNESCO has ever stated ,that Jews let every religion worship at all holy sites eg Hebron,but the Arabs won’t.So its time to stop their pretensions and open it up to all religions.
I wish the families of those brave policemen to be comforted among the mourners of Zion.
(Just think of those words-mourners of Zion.ie mourners of The Temple which stood on that very same Temple mount where these 2 brave policemen were killed by Israeli Arabs who have the rights like any other Israeli citizen here,rights to vote,education,health and welfare.)